Simmel discusses the division of labor in his essay titled "The Metropolis and Mental life" in terms of how it has changed due to the rise of modernity. There has been a rise in specialization in which the city provides a variety of diverse services. It is now important that an individual refines and specializes in a service that was not provided in the past so that they can make a profit and be different. Another change is the impersonal nature of the inter-human contact. In traditional society, the producer of an object often met with the customer to sell their product, making the relationship much more personal. In modern day society, it has become extremely impersonal. The owners of the means of production do not meet with the customers
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Marx, who did not directly come up with the concept of reification, discussed it in his own terms when it came to proletarians losing all their individual character and becoming an object at the dispense of the bourgeoisie (Marx & Engels, 1848). The laborers worked non-stop and in turn became alienated in four different ways. The first way a laborer was alienated was from the product he produced himself. Similar to Simmel’s idea, the Capitalist has control of the workers, the object they produce, and benefits from both ends in terms of profit. The laborer also has no connection to the object which in turn increases the alienation. The second way a laborer is alienated is through the job itself. The laborer feels as if the job itself is often repetitive and does not provide any satisfaction because, in the end, the production has no inherent meaning to him. The third type that a laborer goes through is the alienation of himself. Capitalism takes away the essence of being human. The workers are treated like objects and must work in order to maintain a living in a job they have no interest or passion in. This does not allow for any type of mobility because capitalists will only pay you the minimum so that you are forced to return. The last type that Marx describes is the alienation from other human beings. Due to the competitive nature of the workforce, laborers must compete with others to get the maximum wage possible in order to provide for their lifestyle, which in turn alienates themselves from other workers (Musto,
Marx, who did not directly come up with the concept of reification, discussed it in his own terms when it came to proletarians losing all their individual character and becoming an object at the dispense of the bourgeoisie (Marx & Engels, 1848). The laborers worked non-stop and in turn became alienated in four different ways. The first way a laborer was alienated was from the product he produced himself. Similar to Simmel’s idea, the Capitalist has control of the workers, the object they produce, and benefits from both ends in terms of profit. The laborer also has no connection to the object which in turn increases the alienation. The second way a laborer is alienated is through the job itself. The laborer feels as if the job itself is often repetitive and does not provide any satisfaction because, in the end, the production has no inherent meaning to him. The third type that a laborer goes through is the alienation of himself. Capitalism takes away the essence of being human. The workers are treated like objects and must work in order to maintain a living in a job they have no interest or passion in. This does not allow for any type of mobility because capitalists will only pay you the minimum so that you are forced to return. The last type that Marx describes is the alienation from other human beings. Due to the competitive nature of the workforce, laborers must compete with others to get the maximum wage possible in order to provide for their lifestyle, which in turn alienates themselves from other workers (Musto,